1852.] COMMANDER RICHARDS DETACHED. 107 



notice ! Richards had taken possession, appointing him- 

 self " Governor," and the others to various places of trust, 

 an act long remembered as a joke. Some tern were 

 noticed, and a young one just born found on the nest : 

 pretty temperature for rearing it, 22, 10 below freezing ! 

 The intelligence brought by Richards damped me a 

 little, and caused me to alter my disposition of the ser- 

 vice. 'Pioneer's' boat, detached to examine the depot, 

 had met with an accident, by which the men got wet 

 and the bread damaged, besides injuring more or less all 

 the dry provision. This compelled me to trust to my 

 own resources, and alter the entire arrangement of the 

 Expedition. I therefore gave Richards the direction of 

 the particular service of exploring the next (Table Island), 

 and of carrying up the coast-line now discovered to 

 Village Point. To myself I allotted the examination 

 of the terra incognita of which I had a glimpse from 

 Pioneer Island, estimated in my own mind (but, I very 

 firmly believe, in nubibus, amongst others) at eighteen or 

 -twenty miles beyond our present position. Fourteen 

 days' provision for ourselves was deposited here en cache 

 (with the paws of the bear), and my party were all in 

 high spirits, with " Pet Hamilton" as our trusty friend. 

 Richards had already found it laborious work drag- 

 ging the boat and sledge by relays, and could not there- 

 fore care much about advance, unless he replaced Mr. 

 Loney. But Richards was the only qualified person to 

 command, and to perform the duty required, being a 

 surveyor. The separation Avas painful and inconvenient, 

 but the separate command could only confer additional 

 importance. Another consideration also actuated my de- 



